Propulsion
/prəˈpʌl.ʃən/noun
The action or process of driving or pushing something forward.
Did you know?Propulsion comes from Latin pellere, “to drive or push,” the same root behind pulse and pulsation—turning an ancient physical shove into a word for engines and motion.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pel-
“To drive, push, or beat”
Classical Latin
Latin
pellere
“To drive, push, or force onward”
Classical Latin
Latin
propellere
“To drive forward; pro- meant “forward” and pellere meant “to drive””
Late Latin
Latin
propulsio
“A driving forward or repelling”
15th Century
Middle French
propulsion
“The act of driving forward”
17th Century
English
propulsion
“The action of propelling or being driven forward”
Modern English
English
propulsion
“The force or process that moves something forward”